About Us

Our Story

Back in the 1995, the Internet as we know it today was just getting organized. There were only 23,500 web sites on the entire Internet (vs. 1.6 billion sites in 2019). Yahoo's tree index – a collection of static web pages – was the "Google" of the day.

The National Science Foundation saw a need for an index site like Yahoo, but dedicated specifically to educators, explaining the Internet and indexing and organizing education specific resources.

The Virtual Public Library - Instructional Media Center  - vpl-imc.org - was the result of that 1995 NSF initiative.

As with most initiatives, funding eventually ended for the web site. Rather than shutting down this resource, Dr. Bonnie Tenenbaum, one of the original site creators, adopted the site on behalf of the Bonnie and Marty Tenenbaum Foundation.

Over the years this site has gone thru a number of reorganizations – and a couple of name changes – as it adjusts to the evolution of the Internet and the changing needs of its core audience, the K-12 education community.

Today, rather than trying to be all things to all people, we focus on highlighting best-of-breed resources, ideas for interdisciplinary learning, and to be a clearinghouse for educator concerns and needs.

We receive no advertising, government, or corporate funding. This allows us to be an independent voice, indexing the-best-of-the-web for the K-12 education community without restrictions or agenda.

We Need Your Help!

As noted in our Winter 2021 Newsletter, we are going thru a period of transition with the passing of Bonnie Tenenbaum last October.

Please take a moment to answer our quick 4 minute survey. We are looking for ideas and contributors to keep K12IRC relevant going forward. Your input will help.

We are an entirely-free-to-use resource for the K-12 community. There are no payment, registration or e-mail address requirements.

K12IRC.org is a project of the Bonnie and Marty Tenenbaum Foundation. They cover all site costs. We receive no advertising, corporate or government funding.

This Internet Resource Center catalogs over 2,500 web and video resources. Dive in and learn something new. Do a search, check out some suggestions, or scan the Table of Contents to see all the topics we index.

If you'd like to stay informed, join our quarterly newsletter mailing list.

Help Spread The Word

We have postcard flyers and a downloadable flyer image available free for the asking.

Leave some in your break room or distribute them at meetings or professional development events.  learn more...